Filling machine



June 11, 1935. A. ANDREAS FILLING umcanm Filed Jan. 12, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II n ' Inventor- Arno Andreas Patented June 11, 1935 Application January 10, 1930, Serial No. 419,986 In Germany September 23, 1929 38Clalms.

My invention relates to filling machines, particularly intended for automatically filling equal quantities of powdery or granulated material into automatically closing valve bags, or other containera.

For automatically filling such material into bags several methods are known and it is common, too, to use several sorts of arrangements for executing such methods, but they are not satisfactory, as they require excessive space,

while not being capable of compactly packing 1 required for slowly filling the weighing recepaccurate weights of material in the bags. Moreover, they have required too many motions on the part of the operator.

My invention is also concerned with weighing the material first and afterwards conveying it by suitable means into bags, while their bottoms are l ned, the bags being supported on a device gillzsted to be tilted when the bag is completely IIhe invention relates more particularly to machines for fillingvalve bags or other receptacles, including a feeding apparatus disposed above a receptacle suspended upon the balance arm of an. automatic weighing machine, and a conveyor, such as a propeller below the weighing receptacle, for accelerating the fiow of material leaving the receptacle, so that it is carried with high speed into the bag and becomes tightly packed therein, while the bag. is jogged up and down. When the bag is filled, the bag supporting device or rack is tilted by the weight of the bag about an appropriate axis.

Although there is disclosed means for automatically releasing the bag supporting rack after -a predetermined time, to effect discharge of a bag, and although this operation maybe accomplished invany suitable manner other than that shown, I prefer to construct the machine so that the bag is discharged only upon actuation of a manually operable handle.

In order to gain. on the one hand, the time tacle to obtain very accurate weight, and, on the other hand, the advantage of needing only one man for filling a greater number of bags in a given time, my invention concerns several units, of the character described, disposed side by side or in bank and connected in such a manner that the rack releasing means of one unit opens the outlet of the weighing receptacle of the next=unit from which a filled bag has just been removed and replaced by an empty bag.

By my invention, I am able to stir the materialas ,itis continuously fed-to the machine and as it passes therethrough, and regulate the feed as required in every part thereof, so that the machine cannot become clogged. Also the material can be weighed with utmost precision and packed so compactly that bags somewhat 5 smaller than usual may be used, the cost of packaging being thus decreased. The compact packaging thus achieved prevents the bagged material from sinking down in transportation so that the bags arrive only half filled. This 10 initial compact packaging is of great importance when bagg a material like cement which tends to settle for some time after 'it has been mingled with air to a dusty emulsion.

By constructing the whole apparatus to oper- 15 ate automatically, from the entering of the material to the throwing of! of the filled bags, I obtain a very large capacity because the operator has but to survey the operation and mount empty bags upon the filling nozzles, (if this is 20 not efiected automatically, too)' the machine thus requiring a minimum of manual labor.

However, as already indicated, it is preferable to operate the machine semiautomatically, that is to say, so that the attendant, in addition to putting empty bags in place, need only actuate a single lever for starting the filling operation in one unit and discharging a bag in another.

My invention thus aifords a great many advantages both technical and economic. preventing the escape of dust the whole arrangement may be hermetically enveloped and provided with devices which convey any escaped material to collectors whereby loss of material .and creation of a nuisance are prevented.

My invention has for another object the provision of such further improvements and novel devices as are shown, and described in the following specification.

\ The invention is illustrated in the accompany- 40 in: drawings, wherein- Fig. l is a side elevation, partly in section; Fig. 2 is a front elevation.

In order better to show the important fea- .tures of the mechanism, some parts lying on 5 are marked by like numbers distinguished by 5 Referring to the drawings, I secure to a casement 2 an inlet pipe I through which the material enters a screen drum 3, where heterogeneous pieces are separated to be carried off through the outlet 4, while the screened material is whirled up and removed by the spiral conveyor 5 to the discharge 6.

In the machine illustrated in the drawing, I provide three units each including a discharging device and a filling arrangement one of which I will describe in detail.

In the outlet 5 which is, in a well known manner, laterally inclined in order to discharge the material always equally and without any clogging, I provide a slide 1 which permits regu lation of the flow of the material.

At the bottom, the outlet 5 is shut by two cylindrical valves, in the upper one 5 of which I provide an opening that is closed by the lower valve 9.

Below the outlet 5, I support a receptacle I ll upon the scale-beam ll pivoted on the standard l2 and balanced by the weight l3. A lever l4 secured to the receptacle l5 stops the lever l5 pivoted on the shaft I8 near the outlet 3 and bearing the valve 8.

At the standard I 2, I provide on the ioumal l1 an arm it! which is stopped by the lever-l5 and connected by means of the rod 25 with the lever 2| likewise mounted on the shaft l5 and bearing the valve 9.

The bottom of the receptacle I0 is closed by a valve 22 fixed by an elbow link 24 pivoted at 23. Below the receptacle ill, the hopper 25 is secured to the standard l2 and a propeller. 25 is mounted in the mouth of the hopper which terminates in the nozzle or spout 21.

The inner walls of this hopper are preferablyof the standard I2, I dispose the double lever 32 the rear part of which bears with the roller 33 against the cam 35 fixed on the shaft 34, the fore-ends of said double lever supporting the bag bearing rack 31 by means of the verti-- cal regulating screws 36. 1

The top-of each screw 35 is joined by a rod 38 to the arm 39 fulcrumed likewise on the shaft 3| and fixed by a hook pivoted at" in the standard l2. By means of the rod 4|, the hook 42 is joined with the cam and withthe handle 44 fulcrumed on shaft 43 on the hopper 25.

On shaft 43, too, a clip or bag clamp 41 is mounted provided with an elastic border 45. The handle 44 is connected with the pawl 43 which engages the ratchet 45 joined to the link 24.

The arm 39 is attached to spring 55, for purposes which will be apparent from the following description of the operation of the machine,

. and another braking spring 5| is opposed to it.

In front of the filling arrangements I provide a conveyor belt 52 running on rollers 53, a pedestal 54 and a balustrade or railing 55.

I will now describe the operation of my invention.

- The material. leaving the drum 3 enters the receptacle l0 and assembles there, shifting the scale beam so that the lever l4 releases the lever |5 which closes the valve 5 and nearly wholly interrupts the discharge stream so that only a little material can still pass down through the opening in the valve 5. The scale beam continues turning slowly till the projection on the weight l3 engages the lever I8 and releases the arm I3 which in turn revolves around its journal l1, bowing the elbow formed by the arm 13 and the rod 25. Thereby the lever 2| is quickly rotated down and the valve 9 interrupts suddenly the late stream of the material.

By known means which are not illustrated here the valve 22- is kept fixed till the weighing receptacle II is completely filled; only then is it possible for valve to be opened by the weight of material whereupon the material assembled in the receptacle I5 streams into the hopper 25 and is removed therefrom at higher speed bythe continuously revolving propeller 25, through the nozzle 21 into the valve bag 5.5. At the same time, the levers bearing the valves 3 and 5 are put back to the initial position by well known means .not illustrated in the drawings.

In orderv to prevent the material, as it is whirled by the rapidly revolving propeller from powdering out from the hopper, I have provided the oblique edges 53 and the transverse ledges 51, 53, 59 in several levels for making the material coming from above descend and for keeping back such as is rejected from below; The ledge 55 receiving the chief push of the material is preferably slack and elastically mounted so that it is able to oscfllate for pushing of! dust bottom of which is supported on the rack 31- while its back bears against a suitable bar secured to this rack. By the thickened lower part 35 of the nozzle 21 the valve of the bag is hermetically closed and the bag is further prevented friomngliding down by the border 45 of the c p v The dust formed within the bag by the filling operation retires, together with the air driven out, through the drain 25 and is caught in the discharge 25. The continuous rotation of the shaft 34 moves the rack 31 perpetually up and down and constantly jogs the bottom of the bag, during the filling operation in order to stow the material tightly in the bag.

The periphery of the cam 35 is partly circular, the lifting curve extending only along a part of it; so, the rack 31 suddenly falling down after being lifted by the cam, reposes for a certain time before next lifting, so that the material contained in the bag stows most tightly on the bottom.

When the bag is filled, the hook 42 is raised by the rotary cam 45, the arm 35 then being maintained only by the spring 53. The force of this spring is adjusted so that the arm 39 is in the illustrated position when the rack 31 is empty, but is tilted when released and when the bag 5'3 is filled ofcontains sufllcient mate rial to over-balance the spring, because the center-of gravity of the bag is forward of the pivot, the bag being on the forwardly extending support.

The levers 32 being constantly moved up and down by the cam 35, the jogging of the rack 31 is still continued during tilting of the rack.

The rack- 31 then rotating around the axis 3| and, at the same time, around the lower.

corner of the parallelogram constituted by the 54 upon the conveyor belt 52. As the clip 41' is lifted at the same time automatically or by the handle 44, to raise the elastic border 46 from the bag, the latter can slide off the nozzle 21. In tilting, the arm 32 meets the braking spring and is rejected by this as soon as the bag is thrown off, being drawn back'at the same time by the spring 50.

The rotation of the cam 45 is regulated so that the bag is tilted down only when wholly filled with the weighed quantity of material. But the lever 4| may also be released by means of the handle 44, independently of the cam 45. When the bag is thrown off, the operator mounts another bag on the nozzle 21. When doing so, he finds a stay for his feet on the pedestal 54 while he leans back against the balustrade or railing 55.

Now. the different filling arrangements of the machine are so stepped and coupled that one apparatus is weighing while the weighed material in the next is bagged and the filled bag is being replaced by another bag in the third. If there are more than three filling arrangements, they are coupled and stepped correspondingly. Thus stepping the parts of the filling machine, I obtain a very large capacity without diminishing the precision, having plenty of time for weighing as well as for filling and replacing the bag.

The cams 35', 35", and 35" may be placed on the common shaft 34 so that the individual frames 31, 31" and 31" are jogged rhythmically one after the other.

- Now I will describe howthe rods are coupled which open the discharge valves of the weighing containers in and tilt the bags.

When I operate the handle 44', (Fig. 2), the ratchet 49" is released so that the discharge valve of container I0 is opened while the arm 39" is freed and the bag mounted on the nozzle 21 is tilted. Now'the operator puts an empty bag on the nozzle 21" while the bag previously placed on the nozzle 21 is filled.

By next operation, the handle 44" is moved to release the ratchet 49" for'opening the weighing receptacle I0" and filling the bag placed on the nozzle 21" in the previous operation; at the same time, the arm '39 is freed for tilting the bag supported on the nozzle 21".

The handles 44' and 44". are preferably secured to sleeves mounted on the shaft 43 and the pawls 48 and 48" as well as the rods 4|." and 4i" and the clips 41" and 41', respectively, are joined with these sleeves, while the handle 44" is directly fixed to the shaft 45 with the two ends of which the pawl 48", rod 4| and clip '41 and joined;

The whole mechanism is operated by the shaft 6|, onlythe propellers 26 of all. arrangements being fixed on a common shaft directly revolved by the electric motor 62.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any,equivalents of the f atures shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of the ,inve ion claimed.

I claim:

1. A filling machine having a feeding structure above a series of weighing devices, conveying moans below the weighing devices, filling and and supporting means for receptacles, cooperating to pass material from the conveying means into the receptacles, said supporting means being swingable to cast of! the receptacles, and

means under the control of the machine forv operating the feeding structure and tilting the supporting means.

2. A fillingmachine having a feeding structure above a series of weighing devices, conveying means below these a filling and supporting device, means for tilting, and jogging the bottom of the receptacles to be filled, and means under the control of the machine for operating the tilting and jogging means in relation to the operation of the weighing devices.

3.- A filling machine having bag filling means, means for supporting and jogging a bag to be filled by the filling means, including -a rack for the bag, a frame supporting the rack and mounted to have jogging movement for jogging the rack and hence the bag and, to have tilting movement for tilting the rack to a position in which the bag will be discharged from the rack.

4. In a filling machine, the combination of bag filling means, jogging means for supporting and jogging the bag for-filling by the filling means, said jogging means being mounted for tilting movement for the discharge of the bag, means adapted to be released normally restraining the tilting movement of the jogging means, and means for releasing the restraining means.

5. In a filling machine, a plurality of units each including the combination of bag filling means, jogging means for supporting and jogging the bag for filling by the filling means, said jo ing means 'being moimted for tilting movement in a direction to effect the discharge of the bag, a valve for the passage of material to the filling means, to be closed when the jogging means is swung for the discharge of the bag, means adapted to be released normally restrainthe swinging movement of the jogging means, and means for releasing the restraining means, in one unit, and for releasing the valve in an adjacent unit for opening.

6. In a bag filling machine, a plurality of units each including a spout for conveying material to bags carried therewith, bag supporting means adapted to tilt by gravity to discharge the bag, a bag clamp for holding the bag on the spout, a latch for maintaining the bag supporting means against tilting, a valve to control the fiow of material to the spout, a manually operable handle, and operative connections between the handle and the clanip and latch on one unit, and the valve on an adjacent unit, whereby a single operation of the handle releases the bag on one unit for discharge and permits the valve to open to admit material to the spout in another unit.

7. In a package filling machine, a plurality of units each including means for guiding material to a package, tiltable means for supporting a package adjacent said means and for discharging the package, means to maintain the package supporting means against tilting, means to control the fiow of material to the guiding means, and a member operatively connected to the maintaining means in. one unit and to the control meansin another unit for releasing said last-named maintaining means to permit discharge of the package, and for operating said last-namedcontrol means to start the fiow of material.

8. In a package filling machine, a plurality of units each including means for guiding material to a package, means for supporting a r package adjacent said means and for discharging it from the machine, means to maintain; the supporting means against discharge oi. the package, means to control the flow of material to the guiding means, and a member operatively connected to the maintaining means ,in'one unit and to the control means in another unit for releasing said last-named maintaining means to permit discharge of the package, and for operating said last-named control means to start the flow of material.

9. In a package filling machine, a, plurality of units each including means for guiding material to a package, means for supporting a package adjacent said means and operable by gravity to discharge a full package from the machine, means to maintain the supporting means against discharging the package, means to control the flow of material to the guiding means, and a member operatively connected to the maintaining means in one unit and to the control'means inanother unit for releasing said last-named maintaining means to permit discharge of the package, and for operating said last-named control means to start the flow of material. 1

- 10. In a package filling machine, a plurality of units each including means comprising a receptacle for weighing material, means for guiding material from the receptacle to a package, means for supporting the package and for discharging it from the machine, means to maintain the supporting means against bag discharging action, means for controlling the flow of material from the receptacle to the guiding means, and a manually operable member operatively connected to the maintaining means in one unit and to the control means in another unit for releasing said last-named maintaining means to permit discharge of the package, and for operating said last-named control means to start the flow of material.

11. In a package filling machine, a plurality of units each including means comprising a receptacle for weighing material, means for guiding material from thereceptacle to a. package, means for supporting the package and for discharging it from the machine, means to maintain the supporting means against bag discharging action, an outlet valve on the weighing receptacle, means for controlling the valve, and a member operatively connected to the maintaining means in one unit and to the control means in another unit for releasing said last-named maintaining means to permit discharge of the package, and for operating said last-named control means to start the flow of material.

v 12. In a package filling machine, a bank of three or more units, each including means for uiding material to a package,'means for supporting a package adjacent said means and for discharging itfrom the machine, means to maintain the supporting means against discharge of the package, means to control the flow of material to the guiding means, and a plurality of members each operatively connected to the maintaining means in a corresponding unit and to the control means in another unit for releasing said last-named maintaining means to permit discharge of the package, and for operating said last-named control means to start the' flow of material, each member being con-, nected between adjacent units in all but one instance where the connection is between end units.

-13. In a package filling machine, a plurality of units, each including means for guiding material to a package, means for supporting a packand interconnections between the handle, the

maintaining means in one unit, and the control means in a preceding unit, whereby operation of the handleboth releases said last-named maintaining means for permitting discharge of the package, and operates said last-named control means for permitting material to flow to a package.

14. In a bag filling machine a plurality of units each including means for guiding material to a bag, said means comprising a spout, means for clamping a bag on the spout, means for supporting and discharging a bag, means to maintain the support against discharging action, means to control the flow of material to the spout,'and a member operatively connected to the clamp and maintaining means on one unit and the control means on another unit for releasing the bag for discharge on the one unit and operating said control means on the other unit to start the flow of material.

15. In a package filling machine, a plurality of units each including means for guiding material to a package, means for supporting a package adjacent said means and for efiecting its discharge from the machine, means to control :the fiow of material to the guiding means, and

and a manually operable member operatively connected to the control means in one unit and the supporting means in another unit for starting the flow of material in the first-named unit and causing discharge of the package in the second-named unit upon operation of the member.

1'7. In a package filling machine; a tiltable member normally maintained in substantially vertical position; a package support carried by the member and tiltable therewith; means to convey material to the package; said member being pivoted below the support, the axis of the pivot thereof lying to one side of a vertical line passing through the center of gravity of the filled package; said member, when a filled package is seated upon the support, tending always to tilt by gravity about said pivot; means maintaining said member in upright position against any tendency to tilt; and means to re lease the last-named means to permit the initiation of a tilting action by gravity.

18. In a filling machine having. means including a spout for conveying material into a valve bag, jogging means, an l,- shaped bag" support, means to pivot the support on the jogging means for tilting, means independent of the jogging the bag from support and spout.

19. In a bag filling machine, means for guid ing material to the bag including a spout, means to clamp the bag on the spout, a jogging device for'holding and jogging the bag during the filling operation, constructed to tilt by gravity for discharging a full bag independently of the jogging action, means for controlling the tilting action, and connections between the lastnamed means and the clamping means whereby the clamp is released to permit the discharge of the bag by the tilting action.

20. In a bag filling machine, a filling device for filling the bag including a spout for receiving thereon the valve end of the bag, a clip for clamping the bag on the spout, a jogging device, including bag supporting means, for jogging the bag during the filling operation, said supporting means being constructed and arranged to be given tilting movement independently of the jogging action, and operative means connected with the jogging device by the operation of which to swing the supportingmeans and cast off the bag supported thereby, said operative means including a connection with said clip for releasing the same.

21. In a bag filling machine, a filling device for filling the bag, a jogging device comprising a pivoted support for holding and jogging the bag during the filling operation, constructed and arranged to tilt and pivot the bag about the pivot axis of said support independently of its jogging action, and means operatively connected with but supported independently of the jogging device for controlling the tilting action thereof.

22. In a filling machine having means for conveying material such as cement to a bag, a bag support means to pivot the bag support for tilting forward to discharge the bag including parallel arms and connections therebetween for causing them to tilt together, said bag support being mounted on the forward arm, means to jig the bag support, and means forengaging the rearward arm to prevent the arms from tilting.

23. In a filling machine having means for conveying material such as cement to a bag, a bag support, means to pivot the bag support for tilting forward to discharge the bag including paring parallel arms and connections therebetween for causing them to tilt together said bag support being mounted on the forward arms, means to 'ji'g the bag support, and means for engaging the rearward arm to prevent the arms from tilt- 25. In a filling machine having means for conveying material to a bag,- jogging meansincluding a joggi-.g arm, a bag support, means to mount the support for tilting with respect to the jo ging arm comprising a normally upright arm pivoted on the jogging arm and secured to the support, means operative independently of the jogging action to retain the support against tilting, and means to release theretaining means to permit the support to tilt for discharging the bag.

26. In a filling machine having means for conveying material to a bag, jogging means including a jogging arm, a bag support, a normally upright arm secured to the bag support and pivoted on the jogging arm for tilting by gravity to discharge a full bag on the support, and means operating independently of the jogging arm for controlling the tilting.

27. In a filling machine having means for conveying material to a bag, jogging means including a jogging arm, a bag support, a normally upright arm secured to the bag support and pivoted on the jogging arm for tilting by gravity to discharge a full bag on the support and means operative independently of the jogging arm for controlling the tilting, said last named means including a link pivotally connected with the upright arm.

28. In a filling machine having means for conveying material to a bag, jogging means including a jogging arm, a bag support, means to mount the support for tilting with respect to .the

jogging arm comprising a plurality of. upright arms pivoted on the jogging arm and secured to the support, and means for controlling the tilt ing.

29. In a bag filling machine having meansfor conveying 'material to a bag, a jogging arm, a bag support, means to pivot the bag support on the arm for tilting by gravity to discharge a bag on the support by reason of the weight of material in the bag, .resilient means for retracting I the arm and support upon discharge of a bag, andmanually operable means for controlling the discharging means.

30. In a package filling machine, a normally upright tiltable member, a package support carried on-the member for tilting therewith, means to convey material to the package, means to maintain the member in upright position, means to release the last-named means, and means operative independently of the tilting of the member for jigging the member and package support. 31. In a machine for filling bags with pulverulent material, such as cement, having means for weighing the material and means therebelow, including a hopper, for delivering weighed material to bags, a downwardly extending baffle in the hopper inclined toward the center and near the top thereof and a V-shaped baflle below said bame.

32. A bag filling machine having a feeding structure, a series of weighing devices receivging devices for holding the bags while they are filling by the filling devices, said jogging devices being mounted for tilting movement for casting of! the filled bags, mechanism for tilting the jogging devices individually, and interconnections between said mechanism and the individual discharging valves, whereby as one jogging device is tilted for casting off the bag held thereby, a discharging valve will be opened rality of associated filling units, each including a weighing device for the material, a logging device for holding and jogging the bag to be filled characterized in that it is tiltable into position for eifecting the discharge of a bag, a filling device for delivering into the bag the material discharged from the weighing device and openable valve means normally preventing the discharge of material from each weighing device into its corresponding filling device, together with control means for each unit controlling the tilting operation of the jogging device of that unit, and connections between each control means and the valve means of an asso-s ciated unit,'whereby upon the operation of each control means the jogging device or that unit will be tilted for the discharge of a bag while the valve means of an associated unit will be opened to permit the filling of the bag of such associated unit.

34. A bag filling machine comprising a plurality of associated filling units, each including a weighing device for the material, a jogging device for holding and Jogging thebag to be filled characterized in that it is tiltable into position for eiiecting the discharge of a bag, a filling device for delivering into' the bag the material discharged from the weighing device, and openable valve means normally preventing the discharge of material from each weighing device into its correspondingfilling device, together with control means for each unit controlling the tilting operation of the Jogging device of that unit, and connections between each control means and the valve means helonging to an associated unit, whereby upon the operation of each control means the logging device of that unit will be tilted for the discharge of a bag while the valve means of an associated unit will be opened to permit the filling of the bag of such associated unit, and actuating mechanism common to the units and depending for its action upon the operation of the machine, arranged to automatically eflect the operation of said individual control means in predetermined timed relation.

35. A machine according to claim 34, wherein the control means'i'or the individual units are constructed to be operated manually and independently, of the operation which is accomplished by the actuating mechanism.

36. A bag filling machine comprising a series of units each including a weighing device adapted to weigh out an amount oimaterial substantially equal to the charge to be filled in a bag, a filling device associated with the weighing device to receive the charge therefrom, a Jogging device associated with the filling device to support a bag for filling, the logging device being mounted for tilting irrespective of jogging.

the casting oil! of a bag from any one of the units, the next preceding unit in point 0i! time will have its discharge device operated to allow the filling of the bag of such preceding unit.

w 37. In a package filling machine, a. tiltable member, a package support carried on the member i'or tilting therewith and being adjustable with respect thereto, means to convey material to the package, means to maintain the member in upright position, and means to release the last named means, said member being pivoted below. the support for tilting by gravity upon operation or said releasing means when a full bag is on the support.

38. In a package filling machine; a tiltable member normally maintained in substantially vertical position; a package support carried by the member and tiltable therewith; said member being pivotally mounted below the support, the axis of the pivot thereof lying to one side oi a vertical line passing through the center of gravity or the filled package; said member, when a filled package is seated upon the support, tending always to tilt by gravity about said pivot; latching means to maintain the said member in upright position against any tendency to tilt; means to release the latching means to permit the initiation of a tilting action to discharge the filled package from the support; and means, operable upon discharge of the filled package, to retract the member to upright position.

ARNO ANDREAS. 

